E 






■•.pi 



ioja^^ 






THE CHRISTIAN'S DUTY IN THE PRESENT CRISIS. 
BY BISHOP m'ilvaine. 

**' 'gTi 

Yv^AR is upon us — the worst, the most horrid, the most calami- 
tous and sorrowful of all wars ; not only civil war, but civil war in 
circumstances beyond precedent, painful and productive of all the 
bitterest passions of man's evil nature. The cloud is exceeding 
dark. But it reaches not to heaven. God's light is behind it, 
however hid. His ways, however unsearchable, and " a great 
deep" to our eye, are in wisdom and goodness — and still " God is 
our Refuge, and a very present help in trouble." Rut what is our 
duty ? I mean the duty of disciples of Christ — ours as members 
'of Christ's Church, having brethren in Christ everywhere — in the 
jStates now in array against us, and even in the army now perhaps 
Ion the march against us ? 

First. — Our duty is clearly, solemnly, steadily, patiently, brave- 
', earnestly, to sustain our Government. There is no room for 
hesitation here. Whatever may be said of persons or localities, 
Dr sections of people, our Government has not provoked this war 
—the country has not. We are jpro j^citria, for our beloved coun- 
y — not Ohio, not this State or that ; not North, or East, or West, 
mi our country ; and our Government as the only representative 
)f our country. All duty says so. And what we are and do in 
he discharge of this duty should be zealous, devoted, self-sacrifi- 
fing, undaunted. 

But secondly. — In what spirit as Christians ? There is no ne- 
cessity of coming down in the least from all that pertains to Chris- 
tian spirit in the discharge of such duty, wherever it may carry us. 
Good soldiers, especially soldiers standing for their homes and in- 
stitutions, repelling invasion, encircling around their Government, 
contending for the Union, have no need to borrow a spirit not 
their own. There need be no unhallowed passions, no spirit of 



bitter revenge, no cultivation of bate^ no ceasing to pray for ene- 
mies, no passing away of actual kindness and readiness to do good 
to tbose arrayed against us, wbenever duty, loyalty, to our own 
cause does not prevent. Especially witb tbose wbo stay at borne 
and do not plunge into tbe actual conflict — tbe great mass of pray- 
ing, loving, Cbristian people — tbe bigbest measure of loyalty and 
of stern determination to sustain tbe &overnment, is perfectly con- 
sistent witb tbe cberisbiug in tbeir bearts of all tbe tempers and 
spirit — tbe cbarities, tbe kindness, tbe doing good to tbem tbat 
may bate us — tbe praying for tbose wbo would '^ despitefully use 
us,'' wbicb our blessed Gospel requires. 

Under tbese general views, wbat is duty ? 

1st. Let us keep our bearts witb all diligence — witb special 
effort to prevent tbe encroacbment of a war-feeling and excitement 
upon tbe proper domain of tbe Spirit of God witbin you. Tbe 
danger is great. Tbese strong excitements carry away tbe mind 
as witb a flood. Tbey overwhelm us, unless our dykes be well 
kept. Duty to God — tbe duty of a devotional mind — tbe duty of 
prayer, secret, and daily, and regular, and spiritual remains. Eter- 
nity is only tbe nearer. God's blessing and faver are only, if pos- 
sible, tbe more needful. Tbe more exciting tbe crisis, tbe more 
tbe need of God. If we want an army in tbe field witb carnal 
weapons, we want also, and for tbe same cause, an army at tbe 
throne of grace — taking bold, by constant prayer, on tbe arm of 
tbe only real strength. In iliat army — while tbe other is com- 
posed only of tbose between certain ages, and it must exclude the 
aged, tbe feeble — in tlmt army all can be marshaled — tbe praying 
child, tbe praying woman, tbe heart on a sick bed, tottering age 
— all can contend in tbat, and make a great and mighty host be- 
fore God, holding up tbe bands of those wbo go to the battle, pray- 
ing for the blessings of peace, union, stability, and brotherly love. 
Let us keep our bearts with all diligence, that we may thus keep 
ourselves at tbe throne of grace. Never were praying people more 
needed in our country than now. 

2d. Let us watch against tbe growth in our bearts of all bitter- 
ness of spirit against those whom we must now call — most painful 
as it is — our enemies. Many there are whom we must thus place 
under tbat name, wbo are enemies to us only because their cause 
is against ours, while the bonds of Cbristian charity and real broth- 
erly love of Cbristian brethren towards us are not broken. I be- 
lieve that most truly. So it is, and must be, among us towards 



[8 ] 

them. It is awful to be tlius arrayed, brother against brother. No 

greater affliction could come. It mu-:t not be made more awful, 

as far as religious people can help it, by the kindling of fires of 

evil passion, which the cause on neither side demands, and by 

' which any cause must be disgraced. Let us stand by the right — 

' but rigliteouslu — in the right mind — in the spirit of those whose 

' rule of mind is the word of God, and who desire to " approve 

themselves unto Grod,^^ and to have his blessing. 

3d. Let us still seek peace, and the measures that Tiiake for 
peace. The President seeks peace, and has done nothing incon- 
sistent with his profession of a pacific spirit and aim. Let us seek 
it also, and while preparing for war, still cherish the hope and the 
spirit of peace. We may not see the way by which, consistently 
with that we ought to maintain, peace can now be restored. But 
let us remember that ive see but little of the ways and power of 
j God. Our hope of peace is not destroyed because our eyes cannot 
detect its path, or our Chief Magistrate and his Counselors cannot 
devise the means of obtaining it. The Lord reigneth. God is our 
Refuge. ^^ He hath his way in the sea and his path in the mighty 
waters." When the disciples of Christ were on the billows, tem- 
pest tossed, they knew not any path on those waves by which their 
Master could reach them. It was ^' the fourth loatch of the night J^ 

I But he had a path in the sea, and they saw him walking therein, 
^ and the waves were still. If there be no way of peace, God can 
make one by dividing the sea. We are not hopeless of peace, 
because we cannot tell how it could be brought about. Let us 
; still hope, and still pray. With arms in hand let us do so. God 
be with us ! God preserve and guide our Counselors, our Gover- 
nors, our President ! May they all learn humbly to feel and ac- 
knowledge their dependence on him for wisdom and strength. 
May the godlessness which has too long disgraced our public coun- 
sels and affairs be cast away. May our President seek his help 
in. God, and his Cabinet ask wisdom where only it is to be found, 
and our Legislatures know that God's blessing is worth their 
seeking. 

CnAS, P. 3IcIlyaine. 
Cincinnati, Aj>ril 19; ISGl.' 



[ 4 ] 
PRAYEES BY THE RT. REV. ALONZO POTTER. 



PRAYER DURING OUR PRESENT NATIONAL TROUBLES. 

Almighty God, who art a strong tower of defence to those 
who put their trust in thee, whose power no creature is able to 
resist, we make our humble cry to thee in this hour of our coun- 
try's need. Thy property is always to have mercy. Deal not 
with us according to our sins, neither reward us according to our 
iniquities; but stretch forth the right hand of thy Majesty, and 
be our defence for thy name's sake. Have pity upon our brethren 
who are in arms against the constituted authorities of the land, 
and show them the error of their way. Shed upon the counsels 
of our Rulers the spirit of wisdom and moderation and firmness, 
and unite the hearts of our people as the heart of one man in up- 
holding the supremacy of Law, and the cause of justice and peace. 
Abate the violence of passion; banish pride and prejudice from 
every heart, and incline us all to trust in thy righteous Providence, 
and to be ready for every duty. And oh, that in thy great mercy, 
thou wouldst hasten the return of unity and concord to our bor- 
ders, and so order all things that peace and happiuess, truth and 
justice, religion and piety, may be established among us for all 
generations. These things, and whatever else thou shalt see to be 
necessary and convenient for us, we humbly beg through the mer- 
its and mediation of Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour. Amen. 



PRAYER FOR THOSE EXPOSED TO DANGER. 

Almighty God, the Saviour of all men we humbly commend 
to thy tender care and sure protection, thy servants who have gone 
forth at the call of their country, to defend its government and to 
protect us in our property and homes. Let thy fatherly hand, we 
beseech thee, be over them ; let thy Holy Spirit be with them ; let 
thy good Angels have charge of them ; with thy loving kindness 
defend them as with a shield, and ^either bring them out of their 
peril in safety, with a heart to show forth thy praises for ever, or 
else sustain them with that glorious hope, by which alone 'thy ser- 
vants can have victory in suffering and death ; through Ihe sole 
merits of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. ^^^t> 



